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Last year was a busy blogging year for me… just not on this blog. I launched my webcomic, which – like a shiny, new toy – has gotten the lion’s share of my attention. I’ll admit that I’ve found myself missing this space and hope to give some more attention to my first blog-child in the coming year. (We’ll talk more about that later this month – stay tuned.)

With that in mind, I wanted to start off the new year with a new post. When a friend told me about 50 Happy Things, I just knew that this was the perfect way to kick off 2016 (and to help me find some positivity in a year that seemed to be full of sad news from the world at large). Plus, I love lists. I have a list of the lists that I keep. It’s like list-ception.

During those ten minutes, write a list of 50(ish) things that made you happy (or that you were grateful for) in 2015. (After time was up, I went back and added some links, comments, and photos – you know I can’t resist a good link roundup.)

Add your post to the list of bloggers participating in this flood of gratitude. (Don’t have a blog? That’s okay! You can do this on your own – either just for yourself, or to share with your friends in another format. Also, if you want to tell me some of the things that made you happy in the comments, I’d love to hear them!)

I armed Tavish with a stopwatch, which he promptly ignored in favor of going back to sleep. (Hosting people for New Year’s Eve is exhausting, apparently.) So, looks like I’m on my own. Here we go… Continue reading →

It’s that time again, my friends. Trees have been knocked over by intrepid feline Magellans and claimed by dogs confused by the sudden appearance of decorative indoor toilets. Stockings have been knocked off the chimney with care by cantankerous cats and then been mistaken for dog toys. Traditions abound.

I’ve been paired up with some pretty fantastic bloggersin the past, and this year is no exception. You may be familiar with Jan from The Poodle (and Dog) Blog. If not, you’re in for a real treat today – prepare to find a new blog to add to your must-read list! Jan’s been blogging since 2005, showing us all how it’s done. She’s smart, funny, and generally just the greatest.

So… today, I’m dedicating a link roundup to The Poodle (and Dog) Blog and all of its awesomeness. Join me as we explore some of the many reasons to love this blog (and, at the end of this post, find out how you can help me make this gift really special). I’ve picked some links from 2014 to highlight, but trust me when I tell you that all of the archives are worth checking out. (Chuck Norris agrees.)

Lately, I’ve been working out at home. (I purchased the Insanity workout, which has so far been true to its name.) Tavish seems to think that this is very interesting. He follows me to the basement and hangs out nearby, waiting for his moment to strike.

You see, Tavish thinks that when I’m stretching or on the floor is the perfect time for me to multitask and pet him. I’m going to try to get it on camera at some point, but until then, please enjoy this substitute video of someone else’s dogs making the most of workout time. (These two are bolder than Tavish. He waits patiently for the optimal time to make his move, and he’s never shown an interest in biting my ponytail.)

Those dogs seem like good sports. Tavish would never consent to being lifted in the air like that. He is not the biggest fan of being Sky Tavish (our name for it), unless it’s a necessary evil to elevator him onto the bed.

Oh, and these kittens too! (The costumes are not optional.) Best party ever.

Even though I shared the water thing above, please don’t get the wrong idea. We take care of our aquaphobic friends – at Tavish’s request, water balloons will not be allowed at the party. (He’s already hired a bouncer and everything.)

Also, contrary to the request of our feline guests, owl burritos will not be on the menu.

That’s all for today, my friends. In case you missed it, here’s what we were up to on the blog this week:

You may recall that October’s K9Kamp challenge was to do more – specifically, to get active with your dog for an extra 30 minutes a few times per week. You may also recall that I found this challenge a bit daunting, given how busy my month was shaping up to be.

So, how did it go? Well, I did not meet my own personal fitness goals, given that I haven’t seen the inside of my gym since September. (Here’s hoping that November will be better.) I ate pretty poorly this month. I had no motivation. I got off to a really slow start with K9 Kamp, having a lot of trouble squeezing in those extra minutes. I wasn’t sure how I would explain it all to you here on the blog.

via giphy.com

(That GIF, by the way, is from the show Being Erica. If you have not seen it, you are totally missing out. Thank you, Canada. I was lucky that a friend turned me on to this show so that I could catch it when it aired on SOAPnet, but I believe you can still buy or download it. Anyone else a fan?)

Anyway, it turns out that doing more with the dogs is easier than getting myself to the gym. It’s also easier than resisting a delicious cookie. Thank goodness!

Once I realized that I didn’t have to do all of those minutes at once (thanks, Kol’s Notes!), the challenge seemed more achievable. A game of tug here, a game of fetch (or my dogs’ version of it, which is not really fetch at all) there, and the minutes added up before I knew it. So, I guess the lesson from this round of K9 Kamp is that even when you’re busy, it can be done!

With that, another session of K9 Kamp has come to a close. Would I do it again?

via giphy.com

The llama has spoken. I’ll see you next time, fellow Kampers. How did you get active with your dog this month?

We tend to rate Tavish’s energy level on any given day using a sliding scale of Tavishes. One Tavish is pretty energetic. On occasion, I’ve rated him at about fifteen Tavishes. So, it should come as no surprise that he’s making sure we keep moving this month. He’s like an adorable drill sergeant.

So, I don’t know about you, but I’d totally cheer for a team named the Washington Redpandas. (Sorry, New York Giants… I’d drop you like a hot potato. No, changing your name to the New York Giant Pandas wouldn’t change my mind. I’m a red panda galat heart. You should totally do it anyway though. Cleveland Brown Pandas, you’re on notice too.)

In case you were wondering how I feel when I even think of the remote possibility that red pandas could finally get their moment in the sun, this video clip should clear it up. (I’m so excited. So excited.)